Mercedes-Benz axes Maybach

High ranking Mercedes-Benz sources have confirmed to Autoweek that the underperforming Maybach brand will be officially killed off in 2013. The decision to disband Mercedes-Benz’s upper luxury marque comes after a decade of disappointing sales for the Maybach 57 and 62 and a recent decision from the German car maker’s chairman Dieter Zetsche not to push ahead with the development replacement models – the likes of which were tentatively due out in 2014 – owing to what one insider describes as a “positive move to focus greater attention on the Mercedes-Benz brand” . “We’ve come to the conclusion that it is better to cut our losses with Maybach than to continue into an uncertain future with a brand that has failed to live up to original sales expectations," the insider said.

Crunch watch June 09: the auto industry in crisis

By Tim Pollard, Ben Pulman and Peter Adams Motor Industry 30 June 2009 11:35 Welcome to CAR's news aggregator as we round up the seismic change in the auto industry. Top tip: news summaries are added from the top hour-by-hour  Tuesday 30 June 2009• Porsche says it is no longer applying to the German Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau central bank for a €1.75 billion bridging loan. This means it'll now have to seek finance elsewhere (Porsche) • Seat announces its best-ever month for used car sales; it sold 915 second-hand cars in May (Seat)Monday 29 June 2009• Jaguar Land Rover has opened its first showroom in India.

Nissan strengthens Brazil connections with new design studio

Nissan has opened a new design studio in downtown Rio de Janeiro. Located within Nissan Brazil's headquarters, Nissan Design America – Rio (NDA-R) is operated as a satellite of the firm's studio in San Diego, California. Since November 2013, Robert Bauer has been leading a small team at NDA-R with two Brazilian designers: one color and trim designer and one exterior designer.